GARDENING WITH GUINEA FOWL
(Page 4 of 7)
Poorman's Pheasant
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Guinea is often called "poorman's pheasant" because it
tastes similar to pheasant, at considerably less cost. And
even though it sells for about half the price of pheasant,
guinea is still considered a luxury food. You can find it
on the menus of upscale French and Oriental restaurants,
especially on the East Coast.
Guinea meat is darker and richer tasting than chicken, and
it contains less fat and fewer calories. Guineas are also
smaller-boned than chickens, but have heavier breasts,
making them meatier than they look. The average bird
dresses out to 75 percent of its live weight — five
percent more than the 70 percent average for a broiler
chicken.
Beecause a mature hen weighs three pounds and a mature cock
weighs four pounds, you can expect a maximum table-ready
weight of two and 1/4 to three pounds. Like the meat of
chickens and other birds, the meat of a mature guinea cock
is not nearly as tasty as the meat of a hen. Because a
bird's breastbone gets stiffer as the bird matures, you can
tell a guinea is still prime for eating by the flexibility
of its breastbone.
Young guinea is the most tender and flavorful of all. The
best meat comes from 12-week-old keets weighing about two
pounds. The giant guinea, a hybrid developed for the meat
market, reaches twice that weight in the same amount of
time. Butcher and dress a guinea as you would a chicken.
Chill the meat quickly and store it (loosely covered) in
the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to two days. If
you then wish to freeze the bird to cook later, pack it
tightly in plastic wrap and seal it in a plastic bag
designed for freezer storage. The meat will keep for six
months in the freezer, and up to one week in the freezer
compartment of the refrigerator.
Succulent young guinea may be broiled, roasted, or fried.
Because the meat of an older hen is lean and dry, the
traditional way to roast a hen is to wrap it in a blanket
of bacon and roast it uncovered at 350° F for about 45
minutes until the meat is tender. To brown the skin, remove
the bacon toward the end of the cooking period. If you
prefer to do it without the added fat, cook a mature hen by
a moist-heat method such as braising or stewing. You might,
for example, quarter the hen and marinate it overnight in
1/2 cup apple cider or white wine combined with 1 cup hot
water, 1 small onion, and 3 crushed cloves. Drain the meat,
pat it dry, and brown it in a little butter or oil. Add one
sliced onion and 1/2 cup apple cider or dry white wine.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to one hour (depending on
the bird's age) until the meaty part of a leg gives when
you prick it with a fork. No matter how you prepare it,
guinea goes well with sauteed mushrooms, brown or wild
rice, and lightly steamed spinach or a fresh tossed salad.
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